The Negotiators

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Are these pre-teen surfers the next Beach Boys? Only time will tell...But one thing is certain: their hair is on point. We caught up with the So-Cal boy band to talk skinny jeans, Justin Bieber, natural 'surf spray,' and why they refuse to get tattoos.

Emily: So, tell me about The Negotiators.

Oliver [left]: We’re a band. I play guitar and sing, my brother Elliott plays drums, and my friend Colin is on bass and sings, too.

Emily: How old are you guys?

Oliver: 11

Colin [right]: I just turned 11. I turned 11 on March 1st.

Elliott [middle]: Nine. About to turn 10.

Emily: Does being different ages matter? Does it help the band?

Colin: I feel like we are all the same age. We don’t really feel any different.

Emily: What musicians do you think look really cool?

Oliver: The lead singer of Two Door Cinema Club. He’s just cool because of what he wears. He wears a blazer. But we all have our own style.

Emily: How do you guys decide what outfits to wear?

Colin: We wear t-shirts with names and bands on them. This one has Kurt Cobain. It says ‘grandma take me home’ on the back. And there is a picture of him.

Oliver: I don’t like wearing pants that don’t stretch. They are more comfortable than regular pants. We usually get them from Trico Fields.

Colin: I like tight pants. If I get big pants then I will go somewhere and take them in to make them skinny. They aren’t saggy pants.

Emily: Is that what Justin Bieber does?

Oliver: [Laughs] That’s not cool. I think it makes you look sloppy.

Elliott: One time I saw a guy with baggy pants and they were so low I could see the whole butt.

Oliver: He was just walking out and I saw his butt. And someone looked and he was like, 'What are you looking at'?

Emily: So the rule is that you should never see the underwear. That’s good. That’s very classy. How do you feel about Justin Bieber having tattoos?

Elliott: I don’t like him.

Oliver: I don’t like tattoos.

Colin: I think he’s cool but I don’t like tattoos.

Oliver: I don’t like them. I think they ruin your skin. Don’t like them. Make you look like a weirdo. And it hurts!

Elliott: How do you know?

Oliver: Just because.

Emily: So you’re not into the whole tattoo rocker thing? You’re trying to be good credible rockers without tattoos. But you have classic rock-and-roll long hair.

Oliver: We like having long hair. Sometimes it’s annoying when it’s hot and sometimes they call us girls but I don’t really care.

Emily: Do you put your hair up in a ponytail?

Oliver: No, but I would.

Colin: No, because then you would look like a girl! My sister calls it something. A man bun. A MUN.

Emily: Colin, why do you choose to stay short-haired?

Colin: I have a little bit longer hair. It’s not super long. My hairdresser told me it was cooler shaved so I tried it and I like it. And it keeps growing back but I’m going to keep shaving it.

Oliver: We don’t put product in our hair everyday but sometimes my mom might spray it up a little bit.

Elliott: We only wash our hair.

Emily: So, you shampoo. Do you have a favorite kind?

Oliver: Umm I use the same one but I don’t know what it’s called. And conditioner but my mom [Kelly Wearstler] buys it for me. [Ed. note: it’s Mustela.] I take a shower almost every night.

Colin: I take a shower almost every morning.

Oliver: One time I went to the beach four days straight and today I went to the beach. I went surfing and I showered after because there is also sand in my hair.

Emily: You know girls spend hundreds of dollars to buy products so it looks like they have been at the beach all day.

Oliver: Really?

Elliott: Why don’t you go to the beach? It’s less than 100 dollars.

—as told to ITG

The Negotiators photographed by Emily Weiss in Beverley Hills, CA on August 13, 2013.

Let’s Talk About It!JOIN IN

Catherine

'Why don't you go to the beach. It's less than 100 dollars' This is so cute I don't even.

beeswaxnoneofyour

And makes me slightly embarrassed, somehow, that I buy beach sprays. From the mouths of babes, indeed.

Lana

OMG OBSESSED! What wondrous little humans!

VanessaV

Hilarious and adorable.

Sharon Macklin

I was wondering when I saw the pictures "Who's priviledged children are these?"...then I saw who their mother is (of the brothers). Question answered!

Clara

I love these kids

Tory

Well this was only completely adorable.

EMR

I literally snorted into my coffee. These kids are too awesome!!

Gotham

Oh man, these guys are delightful lol. Funny and straight to the point. I just love good manners, it is so rare. Wish them all the best. Rock on!